JUST SAYING

It’s time for the Government to standardise Covid test prices and save families from forking out, says Natalie Paris

It looked worryingly like it might never happen, but last week the Government set the date for no longer demanding PCR tests of vaccinated travellers returning to the UK. The good news is that the re-think has come just in time for families in England and Wales who have booked holidays this half term.

From tomorrow, October 24, travellers aged five and above will only need to take a lateral flow test when arriving home, which could mean savings of up to £200 for a family of four. While many are relieved, the testing requirements that remain in some destinations continue to make travel prohibitively expensive for families.

Some, such as Spain, still require unvaccinated over12s to show a negative PCR test upon entry, while France requires the same unvaccinated age group to show a negative PCR or lateral flow result but won’t accept cheaper, self-administered tests. Prices for “fit to travel” PCR tests are still drastically inconsistent, costing anything from 65p to £195.

The lateral flow tests are hardly a bargain, either. Part of the problem is the fact that they must be purchased from private providers at a cost of between £20 and £50 each – despite them being available free on the NHS. Surely then, now is the time for the Government finally to standardise test prices.

Why is it that the UK is also the only country in Europe to ask every child aged five and over to take a test after travelling? Other countries set a more reasonable minimum age limit of 11, which seems to be in line with our Government’s thinking on testing in secondary schools.

If our primary schoolchildren are not required to take regular Covid tests for tracing purposes, why are we making them test purely because they have been on

It is wrong that families are contributing the most money to a flawed system

holiday? It is wrong that families are having to contribute the most money to this flawed system.

Getting rid of PCR testing on arrival is a start, but the Government drastically needs to re-think the negative impact its testing requirements are having on families’ purses and children’s wellbeing.